Bridal Make Up Trends of 2023

So, you’ve just got engaged (congratulations!) and are planning your wedding day… You may have already started shopping for your wedding dress but haven’t yet considered what your wedding day hair and make up might look like.

As exciting of a step this is, there is an important decision to make when it comes to your wedding make up: to go for a trend-led make up look or to go for a timeless make up look.

I’m a big believer that you shouldn’t make a big decision without all of the right information – especially when it’s going to be captured on camera. So, within this very piece I have got you covered with a rundown of the best bridal beauty trends to help you choose your perfect look, as well as some of my expert tips on how you can do your own wedding day make up.

You’ll finally get answers to questions like: ”How can I embrace the trends, but still achieve a timeless make up look that I will love both on my wedding day and later when I look back at the photographs?” and “How do I know what will suit me?”.

What are the bridal make up trends of 2023?

A Glowing Complexion

A soft base with a radiant glow is very popular amongst brides right now. And I think we can all see why… What bride wouldn’t want their skin to look flawless on their wedding day? But how can you achieve a radiant ‘lit from within’ complexion? It’s simple. Use a liquid highlighter or radiance primer. I swear by the Nars Radiance Primer.

This soft, romantic complexion is perfect for all brides, no matter your skin type.

To best prepare for a glowing complexion on your wedding day, I can’t stress the importance of a consistent excellent skincare routine in the run up to your wedding. All the best products won’t do their job if you don’t look after your skin. Finding a suitable cleanser, toner, gentle exfoliating product, eye cream and a good moisturiser are all key steps to achieving soft, radiant, clearer skin. This can be done by consulting with a professional skin aesthetician.

I recommend setting aside 10 minutes to yourself each morning and evening to play some relaxing music and indulge in your personalised skincare routine. I heard somewhere before that we should treat our face “like a silk sheet”... so, remember to be gentle. You will be amazed at the results that come from following a consistent skincare routine.

Eyes That Pop!

By starting with natural base make up, brides can focus on creating an eye make up look that pops.

To enhance your eyes and make them ‘pop’, add false eyelashes. False eyelashes add length and volume to the eyes making your eyes look wide open in photos.

To give the illusion of wide open eyes, you could also go for a nude winged fox eye with matte eyeshadow. This eye make up look compliments most eye shapes and while on-trend for 2023, is actually a timeless look perfect for photographs.

Softly Sculpted Cheekbones

Softer blending and highlighted cheekbones to softly sculpt is the desired look this season for brides. Sometimes the thought of contour fills brides with dread – the thoughts of muddy, dark bronzer and not looking like you anymore – however there are plenty of ways to add definition to your face without using plenty of bronzer.

A cream bronzer is a brilliant way to add soft definition and contour to the face and doesn’t photograph harshly. I recommend using the same brush you used to apply your foundation to pat this product into the skin to avoid harsh lines forming and ensure a seamless blend. Using cream blusher, liquid highlighter and powder blusher are great ways to softly sculpt the face beautifully. Patting some liquid blush onto the cheekbones using your ring finger melts the product into the skin for a gorgeous radiant finish. My forever favourite is the Nars Liquid Blush Dolce Vita.

Neutral Lips

A nude lipstick or pink/nude coloured gloss is another 2023 trend that doubles up as a timeless option for brides. The best thing about opting for a neutral lip is that it can be topped up easily throughout the day. My favourite nude lipsticks are the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk for fair skin tones and the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Medium shade perfect for olive and deeper skin Tones. Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath is a stunning nude sheer high shine lipgloss perfect for those brides who either prefer a glossy lip or can be added on top of a lipstick for that extra colour and shine.

How can I achieve a timeless bridal make up look for my big day?

While I have shared various bridal make up trends to inspire your wedding beauty look for 2023 within this blog post, you don’t have to follow them… Your bridal make up can be whatever you want it to be, it is your special day after all.

Opting for a make up look that enhances your natural features will help you achieve a more timeless bridal make up look.

As a professional make up artist, I can work with you to understand what bridal make up look is best for you, and then bring our vision to life using products and techniques tailored to you and your skin.

For example, a) a radiant fresh base on oily skin would be achieved using different products than if created on dry skin. b) You may have your heart set on a winged liner, but have a smaller/hooded eye space. A lifted/pulled look would be achieved using a winged style of false eyelashes, a half lash on the outer corner of the eyes or a smokey winged liner created using eyeshadow. c) You may want the make up you wear to compliment your flowers or bridesmaids dress colours. I can achieve that by discussing your chosen colours for the day and what would compliment them within our consultation/test run. d) You may be an occasional make up wearer for whom less is more or a confident bride looking to make a bold statement with a classic red lip or smokey eye. e) You may want a classic gold or rose gold shimmer on the eyes for your summer wedding.

This is where your make up trial proves useful. It’s the time where we can trial different looks to see how they photograph and look throughout the day – you will want a look that lasts through your ceremony and reception. You may have something in mind that in your make up trial can determine whether it’s too much, not enough or just perfect. If you are unsure on what look you would like, I always recommend browsing through Pinterest, Instagram or wedding magazines to find inspiration, and then bring along any looks you love to your make up trial.

If you are getting married this year in Manchester or Cheshire and would like to learn more about how I can work with you to create your dream wedding make up look for your special day, contact me. I specialise in making brides, like you, look and feel like a Queen for the day.